Do you remember the National Airlines ad campaign, "Fly Me?" If not, you are probably too young to even be interested in my blog and since National Airlines was acquired by Pan Am in 1981, you are probably too young to even remember National Airlines.
Anyway, the premise was that National painted women's names on the noses of their planes and ran ads that went something like this, "I'm [insert sexy woman's name]. Fly Me!" There was a whole sexism fall-out from the ad campaign, but that's not relevant to my story.
Well, my 15-year old daughter Haley is a seasoned traveler. Because of all of our moves, she has always had friends in different states and from the time she had to travel as an "unaccompanied minor" until now when we can pretty much drop her off at the curb, she has been quite blase about the whole flying alone thing. We ask her about how many bags she is taking, if she put her liquids in a ziploc bag, etc. and she rolls her eyes and says, "I've done this before!"
This past weekend her friend Casey in Florida invited her to go to Disney World with her and her family to celebrate her 13th birthday. Her family was quite happy to do this since, if Casey had opted to have a Bat Mitzvah, it probably would have cost 50 times as much. So my beloved Stacy booked Haley's flights and off she went.
On the way home Sunday night, she called me, a little teary-eyed, to tell me that her flight had landed in Atlanta, but it was 7:45 and her next flight was at 8:05 and she was afraid she wouldn't make it. I told her to call me and let me know what happens.
In the meantime, my friend Marcy assured me that if she got stuck overnight, her brother Marty and his friend Sue would go get her, take care of her and make sure she got on the flight the next morning. I felt good that we had a contingency plan.
Haley called back, a little more teary this time, and said that her flight had closed the doors and was taking off. I said, "OK, walk down the hall until you see the first gate agent. Keep the tears going if you can and tell him/her what has happened." I stayed on the phone just in case she needed me to talk to someone. I listened as she talked to the gate agent. Then she got back on the phone with me and said, "I've got it all taken care of."
Next thing you know, she is on a 9:00 p.m. flight and SITTING IN FIRST CLASS!!! And by the time we got to the Raleigh-Durham airport, she was casually waiting at the door with her bags in hand. And not a tear in her eye.
I'm Haley.
Fly me! First class, please!
At Haley's age, I had never even flown on a plane, let alone negotiated a huge airport and dealt with missing a flight. I am so proud of her. I'm kind of proud of me too, for having the contingency plan in place. And I'm proud of my friends for helping me come up with the plan. And special thanks to Marty and Sue who may or may not even know they were involved!
Di
What a girl! WOW, she sure is competent.
Somehow, I do not think any amount of my tears would get me into first class!
J
Posted by: joAnn | October 30, 2008 at 10:38 AM
great job Haley for handling a stressful situation. Tell her she can always call the Cuevas' - we live in the ATL area and we are more than happy to pick her up and take care of her.
Connor would be so pleased
Posted by: barbara cuevas | October 30, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Great job Haley ! I cry too if I miss a flight.
Yes Di, I remember National. My first flight attendant job was with Eastern Airlines. I think National was FL based too weren't they?
Posted by: Shirley | October 30, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Great job Haley !
Posted by: Shirley | October 30, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Great job Haley !
Posted by: Shirley | October 30, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Haley way to go! Diane Bob's dad was a National pilot and Bob and I were PanAm! Now as of wed. past Bob and I will soar the skys together as Delta has officially bought Northwest we have come full circle. Haley I have been a flight attd. 29 yrs. and Atlanta airport freaks me out!!!! " Hi " to all we miss you down on the point!
Posted by: Marian Wittman | November 02, 2008 at 10:41 PM